Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageThe Sunchaser (1996)
Director: Michael Cimino
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
When high-flying but psychically unsatisfied doctor Michael Roberts (Harrelson), on the verge of a major promotion, examines Blue (Seda), a dangerous half-Navajo prisoner, his diagnosis - Blue's sarcoma means he has weeks to live - is overheard by his patient. Roberts agrees with senior staff to transfer Blue to a neighbouring hospital, but en route Blue overpowers him and a police officer, and forces Roberts to drive him to a sacred Navajo mountain site in Colorado. As the long journey progresses - with attempted escapes, fights with redneck bikers, near-death rattles, etc - a relationship painfully develops, so that WASP achiever and ghetto no-hoper slowly come to recognise their common humanity and spiritual connectedness. But with death beckoning, where to place one's faith? In the mountain's magic or your fellow man? Cimino's film takes him back to the bonding movies that started his career, but is shot with the technical overkill and dramatic over-emphasis of his post-Heaven's Gate action pictures. Doug Milsome's often superb landscape photography, the generally languid pace, the pseudo-Western themes and soundtrack may give a hint of the film's would-be epic ambition, but the kindergarten psychology of Charles Leavitt's script, the implausible dramatic development and contrived emotions render it hollow.Author: WH
User reviews of this film
-
- omar said...
- Posted on May 26 2011 04:55 What a dive
- Report as inappropriate
Cast & crew
Director: Michael Cimino
Producer: Arnon Milchan, Michael Cimino, Larry Spiegel, Judy Goldstein, Joe Vecchio
Cast: Woody Harrelson, Jon Seda, Anne Bancroft, Alexandra Tydings, Matt Mulhern, Talisa Soto, Richard Bauer, Harry Carey Jr full cast
Genre(s): Westerns
Duration: 122 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Has David Cronenberg turned tame?
Has director David Cronenberg veered too far from his radical and bloody roots with new film 'A Dangerous Method'?
The 10 worst date movies
Just in time for Valentine's Day, we present ten of the least romantic films ever made
Where to watch this year's Oscar-nominated films
Find out where to watch 2012's Oscar-nominated films in London cinemas
10 unlikely badboy biopics
Featuring Phil Collins, Jeremy Clarkson, Nick Clegg, David Starkey and a host of other unlikely subjects
Interview: Sean Durkin on 'Martha Marcy May Marlene'
The first-time director of the brilliant new thriller discusses religious cults and robot boxing
Pop-up cinema for Valentine's Day
Side-step romantic clichés with some alternative Valentine’s viewing
What do you think?
Post your review now